Gary Neville delivered a fierce criticism of the Video Assistant Referee system after Manchester City produced a thrilling late turnaround to defeat Liverpool at Anfield, only for the evening to be dominated by controversy.
Erling Haaland’s composed penalty in the closing stages secured victory for Pep Guardiola’s side after Bernardo Silva had cancelled out Dominik Szoboszlai’s magnificent free-kick.
For a few breathless seconds it appeared City had sealed the contest in unforgettable fashion.
With Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker stranded in the opposition box during a desperate search for an equaliser, substitute Rayan Cherki collected the loose ball near the centre circle and calmly rolled it into the vacant net. The away supporters erupted and City’s bench emptied in celebration.
Those scenes were quickly replaced by confusion. A VAR review detected shirt-pulling between Szoboszlai and Haaland earlier in the move, prompting referee Craig Pawson to consult the pitchside monitor.
After a lengthy inspection he disallowed the goal, awarded City a free-kick and dismissed Szoboszlai for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
The decision left players, coaches and supporters from both sides staring in disbelief.
Neville, commentating on the match, could barely contain his frustration. He felt the technology had stripped the game of a moment that would have lived long in the memory.
The former Manchester United defender argued that common sense should have prevailed and that Pawson’s initial judgement on the field ought to have stood.
He fumed: “Oh, no. I honestly can’t believe that’s going to happen because the first foul is Szoboszlai on Haaland. I think the referee saw that they both fouled each other. I just don’t get this.”
The incident became the central talking point of a contest that had otherwise showcased the intensity and quality expected when the Premier League’s two heavyweights collide.
Instead of analysing the tactical battle between Guardiola and Arne Slot, discussion revolved around whether the laws of the game had been applied in the spirit intended. Neville was adamant they had not.
“Look, he’s fouled him there, that’s a foul. He’s saying you cannot play advantage, but then ignores that. It feels so unjust. I know there are rules but there is a smell of the game. It’s completely gone,” he continued, voicing the feelings of many inside the stadium.
As replays circulated on the giant screens, the atmosphere inside Anfield turned from anticipation to irritation.
Supporters from both clubs appeared united in their bemusement, a rare sight on such a partisan evening. Neville insisted that even those who benefited from the call could see the absurdity.
“I don’t think he will be okay, the referee, because he will realise that he made the right decision [initially]. There is no football person who would disallow that goal but it’s going to be disallowed. He [Szoboszlai] will walk.”
He went further, arguing that the intervention damaged not only this fixture but the wider spectacle of the Premier League.
“Talk about a killjoy. Liverpool lose by getting a man sent off. City lose by not getting a goal. Everyone is just asking the question. Just let the goal be, let the goal be. You’ve just killed one of the great moments of the season.”
The former England international acknowledged the complexity of the laws but felt the officials had become trapped by process rather than guided by the spirit of competition.
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“They cannot play advantage because of the clear foul from Haaland on Szoboszlai, so they’ve unravelled everything back to nothing.”
“Nobody is happy, the Liverpool fans know it’s not right and the City fans know it’s not right. There will be somebody saying that rules are rules but that doesn’t feel right at all.”
He added moments later: “You live to watch games like this and I actually have been a fan of VAR and it does get some things right.”
“That one has just killed the joy in a big moment in a big football match that contributes a lot to this season’s title race.”
Neville concluded with a lament shared by many neutrals. “The result is the same, so it is what it is, but the reason you come to watch football matches is for entertainment and moments like that. I think if the referee has got any brains whatsoever, he will just blow up immediately.”
